


Where The Current Takes Us

by valphonse



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Short, fic idea, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-06
Updated: 2016-08-06
Packaged: 2018-07-29 18:53:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7695511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valphonse/pseuds/valphonse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens when an ex-gang member and Cowboy, Jesse McCree, gets lost at sea on an island filled with mysteries, treasures, and mystical creatures, his only a guide an aquatic half-omnic named Genji Shimada.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a very short piece inspired by a fanart by 5x4th on Tumblr. In it was McCree drifting in the ocean, while a cyborg-merman approached. I'm wondering if I should turn this into a fic or not? Perhaps, if I see interest, I might! :3c

What was a cowboy doin’ out at sea? That’s a mighty fine question.

Jesse was never one for boats; trains, sure, wagons, absolutely, but ships? Gettin’ caught out in the middle of the ocean, waiting for mother nature to claim you in a slow and painful death, didn’t sound like a bright idea.

Waves lapped against the side of the wooden vessel in a way that made Jesse’s insides bounce. The crew wailed and slapped their legs as they watched him wrap around a mast for dear life, his eyes squeezed shut. Lord almighty, this wasn’t what he signed up for, and yet here he was; he shouldn’t have trusted that shady, good-for-nothin’ old man tellin’ him this and that about some gold-infested island. 

His true motivation was the rumor that there were still inhabitants on that island. Inhabitants of… unique natures. Whenever he felt well enough to wander the main deck, he tried asking the crew questions, their replies nothing more than, “Move along!” or, “‘Aint believe in that bullshit.’”

Perhaps they should have.

Rumbles and massive pulls to the left, to the right, swung him and the crew around the deck like ragdolls. Once his head hit a board, the world went blurry, and he couldn’t remember how he arrived underwater. Pressure pinched his body, force flung him, down, down, oh goddam, his hat would get lost… 

Something cold cupped his face and lime-green light lit up his foggy vision; his legs were wrapped up by that same mettalic, icy sensation. He gasped. A mask covered his face, his eyes popping open wide. Breathing had never been so easy, but how? The creature before him ran its fingers through Jesse’s floating locks, its face human, the rest of it… armored and hard. Jesse couldn’t help himself from reaching out, too, the armor obviously metal but surprisingly smooth, the divets where green light emitted were warm and whirling. With a deep breath, he looked down and realized the creature’s… tail was what wrapped his legs, and before he could look back up, immensely strong arms snaked around his chest. 

They took off at a speed that made Jesse faint, and he decided, for sure, cowboys should never be out at sea. (Genji didn’t forget to grab his hat).


	2. What In The Hell?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did it, it's started! Oh gosh, thanks to everyone who enjoyed the ficlet and encouraged me to keep going!! I hope the fic becomes just as enjoyable. <3

Remember the scene in that old timey cartoon, The Little Mermaid, where Prince Eric gazed up to see a stunning face framed by flaming red locks, illuminated by a brilliant afternoon sun?

This was nothing like that. Jesse McCree sure as hell wasn't a prince. The sun wasn't brilliant when it was blinding his eyes, and the face above him wasn't exactly that of a disney princess'. Scarred, shrouded in metal plates, and sharp were its features, still human but the rest of it... the rest of it laid across the sand... 

Jesse whipped out his pistol and scrambled away from the arms at either side of his head. 

"Where in God's green earth am I--What the hell are you?!" Nausea claimed him before he could make any more movements, the scolding sand suddenly more comfortable than it was before. He plopped down, coughed up some water, and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to get ahold of himself and his surroundings. 

This had to be the island old man Reyes was on about.

With a shaky hand, he pointed his pistol up at the creature's shark-like fin. It flopped up and down every few seconds and Jesse couldn't help but chuckle.

"Shit's wild, I reckon--"

"I mean you no harm." 

Jesse stayed still, not quite out of shock. Mostly out of concentration.

"Oh, yeah? S'that right?"

Genji giggled. "Not much I can do on land, silly human."

Jesse let his pistol fall into his lap out of exhaustion and looked around like 'did anyone else hear that.' "Did you just call me... silly human?"

Genji placed a hand on his chest while supporting himself with his other arm. "My name is Genji." He bowed his upper-torso ever so slightly. "You are lost."

Jesse sighed. "Yup, that's my name, Lost McCree. Wouldn't know where to find his hat even if it was on his hea--" He gasped, pulling on his hair, "my hAT."

Genji laughed again. From behind his tail he revealed Jesse's beloved, and placed it on his own head. Jesse groaned.

"Alright, alright, give it up--" It took some force, and stability he didn't currently have, but Jesse hoisted himself up and hobbled his way over to stand above Genji. He snatched his hat and adjusted it on his head.

Now that he was closer, he could see the intricacies of the armor's design; defined muscle trapped between circles and cylinders of glowing green, sharp angles that moved with deceptive flexibility. How oddly alluring, almost elegant the creature--Genji was, Jesse was nearly too distracted to hear what he said next.

"This island has not seen a human in some time. I suggest I swim you back to where you are safe--"

"Now, hold up," Jesse interrupted, "I dunno about you, but I don't get scooped up by a cyborg-shark every day--"

"I am an omniquatic." Genji interrupted as well, catching Jesse off-guard.

"A who-ja-mah-what-it?"

"An aquatic omnic, surely you have heard of omnics."

Jesse huffed. "Yeah... yeah, I've heard of 'em. Alright, then, so someone built you? Are there more of ya? I heard there was treasure here, I 'aint about to up and leave--" As Jesse spoke, he turned around... and his jaw dropped.

Swirling and stretching towards the sky were massive trees. The line where the trees began and the sand ended was abrupt, like a wall of colorful leaves and curvy bark erupted from the earth. Small critters, most Jesse had never seen in his life, bounced from branches, until one of them was snatched into the brush by a spiny, spidery claw. Jesse yelped and became a mess of swinging arms and legs, rolling behind Genji and in the process pushing Genji down so they were torso to torso, nose to nose.

"What in HELL was THAT."

Genji slapped Jesse on impulse and Jesse let out a sharp, 'oof!' sliding onto his back beside the cyborg.

"I am--I am very sorry, I don't know why I--"

"It's fine. I get that a lot... " 

"... This is why I need to bring you to a safe place. The dangers within are not worth the treasures."

Jesse turned his head to look Genji in the eye. "Soooo... you're sayin' there are treasures, though."

"You haven't told me your name." Genji said, a little smile curling his lips.

Jesse smiled in return. "Jesse. Jesse McCree. What 'chu grinnin' about, fishy."

Genji's grin dissipated as another voice graced the air, its tone heavy, intense. In the span of a second, an arrow plundged deep into the sand directly beside Jesse's ear. He froze, but he could hear Genji slither and dive into the water, a muffled 'BROTHER,' beneath.

"Jesus Christmas, what have I got myself into now."


	3. Modifications

Jesse sat. He waited... and waited... waited some more...

Surely Genji didn't abandon him... right?

He gasped and rolled in the sand, closer to where the ocean met the shore; he thought he had heard something. "SWEET corn on the cob, I swear that was a ghost, in-the-flesh--well, nah, ghosts 'aint got flesh, s'pose in the spirit world they do--or, do they? Hm." He tapped his chin, realizing his beard was full of sand and he groaned. "Where the heck did that fishy swim off to... "

\--

"BROTHER!" Genji shouted again, the water flowed smooth across his armor. Another merman, his upper-half more human than Genji's, halted his rapid getaway before a tall rock and glanced over his shoulder. Brown and gray hair tied up in a lengthy ribbon swished with the currents. The scowl on his face matched the sharp lines of his tail, its yellow and blue colors pleasing under subtle sunlight from above.

"Hmpf." That was all he offered in reply before hauling the rock to the side and slipping behind it. Genji could've screamed. 

He remembered what his dear friend Zenyatta had advised him, took quite a few deep breaths, his robotic gills rising and falling gently, before also entering. Inside were an array of tunnels, all kinds of aquatic and robotic life traveling between them. Every so often, a tunnel would lead into a bigger room, the grandest chamber being Genji's destination. Purples, pinks, and greens decorated the natural walls around them, living arrangements and meeting areas were carved with functional decour. Various gadgets were scattered around, each serving a different purpose. Most of them were able to project touch-screens. 

Their colony called this enormous cavern HQ; much of their research, discovery, and preparing for further exploration originated there. It's where Genji spent most of his time. 

Unfortunately, it's where his brother, Hanzo, spent most of his time, too. 

He could hear Hanzo ramble to another merman before he was even granted access to enter.

"Shimada... Shimada, please!" The other merman's appearance was like Hanzo's, a human torso, but his entire head was gray, his face scarred, and his tail a deep sapphire, pretty but battered.

"President Morrison, you are not listening to me--"

"I'm hearin' ya just fine, Shimada... so is your brother." Jack nodded to Genji... and also rolled his eyes once Hanzo looked away from him, which made Genji grin beneath his helmet.

"I knew your transformation would bring evil." Hanzo growled, flinging his pointer finger at Genji.

"The human is harmless," Genji began, talking at Jack rather than to his brother, "He cared more about his hat than me."

Jack grabbed Hanzo's tattooed shoulder and startled him before he could muster another retort.

"Can we bring him in?" Jack asked. Hanzo's eyes widened. Genji couldn't deny, he was shocked too.

"Bring... him in?"

Before Jack could reply, yet another merperson emerged, this time a mermaid. Her tail was a sweet, bright cherry red with swirling lines of white, not unlike the brilliance of her golden up-do. "What's all this yelling about?" Angela inquired, smiling, her slender fingers graceful in their placement around Genji's shoulders.

"Ah, Vice-President Zeigler," Genji bowed his head, "A human is up above--"

"A human?!" She swung around him and gathered her hands together beneath her chin, "Bring me to them. Immediately."

"Stop! Stop, stop! Don't encourage this foolishness." Hanzo pleaded to Jack.

Angela slowly turned around to face Hanzo, a brow raised, "You must be kidding. This is what we have been waiting for!" Her arms rose up above her head. "We must learn what is out there, there are new relationships to be formed, cultures to share--"

"Remember last time we shared our culture, Angela." Jack spoke firm, but hushed, pulling up a screen in front of him that he began to tap on.

She huffed.

"I need to return to him." Genji said.

"You need to let the island take him." Hanzo said as he floated by Genji and out of the cavern. He would resign. For now.

"... Perhaps... " Angela muttered.

Jack tilted his head and chuckled. "God, I get nervous when you say that, Zeigler."

Genji laughed, too.

She giggled, and continued, "Perhaps I can make some... modifications to Genji's armor."

"... Modifications?" Genji and Jack asked together.

"How would you like to switch between a fin and legs whenever you pleased, little Shimada?"

\--

"WELP, he's left me to die."

Jesse, with his arms behind his head, his legs crossed, and his shirt tossed to the side, had struck up a conversation with a seagull munching on whatever it could find laying around.

"My life wasn't allllll shit, ya know, can't complain--"

"SQWUAK--"

"Good times, bad times, I've had my share, and hey, I've still got ol' Bessie and Gloria--that's my hat and m'pistol--"

"SQWUAK--"

"Ya know, you're a good listener, partner, hell, I told ya about some weird shit, like when I stuck Gloria up--"

"Human! Uh, Jesse!" Genji popped up to the surface and waved. Jesse squinted.

"Am I hallucinatin'?"

He had to have been. When the cyborg approached the shore-line, he rose... upright... and walked towards Jesse, picking him up. A final 'SQWUAK' and a 'You do not look so good' slushed about in Jesse's head before he passed out. Again.


End file.
